A PR? Who? Me?

I ROCKED Dallas! The Dallas Rock and Roll Half Marathon was my absolutely most enjoyable half marathon that I've done to date, and this was half marathon #6. It wasn't just enjoyable because I had PR (personal record), although that was icing on the cake. I can't say I had the best impression of the Rock and Roll series, based on the San Antonio one I did. I wasn't that impressed with the course or post race party, etc. Dallas totally changed my opinion of the Rock and Roll series. Why?

• Well organized from start to finish - from packet pickup at expo to the pre and post race


• Great pre-race music! Even upon arrival. Got me exited. When I walked up they were playing "I got a feeling...tonight's going to be a good night" by the Black Eye peas. Was a sign of the race to come!


• Midsize race - Only a half marathon and had corrals so no craziness at the start line


• Dallas cheerleaders - I know they were freezing but it was kind of cool to see them!


• Beautiful scenery - not all hood or industrial. Beautiful HUGE homes and landscaping. For the first time, I really was looking around as I was running. This race has the best scenery of a race I've done so far.


• Great traffic control (although I heard a resident left their home and drove on the race course)


• Great volunteers - with plenty of fluids, even at mile 12 for back of the pack people


• Lots of great bands (not allowed in Highland Heights area but we had great scenery there!)


• Not too many mile markers - sounds strange to have this as something I liked but during the race, I only noticed a few mileage signs (with clocks showing the time). Maybe there were a lot more, but I only remember the sign for mile 4, mile 8, mile 11, and mile 12. And of course, mile 13. It helped, especially early on when I struggled more, not seeing or noticing a lot of the mile markers. Especially since I struggled more the 1st half - seeing I was only at mile 5 and had 8 miles left wouldn't have been helpful.....


• Great ending with the Ferris Wheel. Great Texas landmark.


• Awesome post race concert - Bret Michaels. You didn't have to go looking for the concert. You just heard it and could see it. If I had to go somewhere, or come back later, I would have missed it/wouldn't have bothered. By the way, I didn't even think Bret Michaels was someone I wanted to hear/see. I just heard him and saw him as I was crossing the post race area and decided to listen to a few songs because it was pretty good! I think because it was a half marathon only, with a 4 hour time limit, the concert could be held right away

Now on to me! I got a PR! My former PR was 3:10:42. That was from my very first half marathon - Aramco in 2009 (the one I ended up in the medical tent afterwards, lol!). Just as recent as December, I did a half in 3:37 (after taking many months off) and in January I did a half in 3:15. New PR. 3:08:14. On a course with hills!

So what made this race really the most enjoyable besides the scenery? #1 - An AWESOME running partner - Karen! I've done my last 2 half marathon's with her. I think she is my good luck charm! #2 No CRAMPING! I have cramped in every single half marathon I have ever done prior to this. I have struggled beginning around mile 9-11 in every half, and had cramping really hitting at mile 11. That did not happen this time! #3 - I wasn't thinking "What was I thinking when I signed up for this?" the last few miles!!! #4 - I actually felt better the 2nd half of the race and ran negative splits. I never felt like I wouldn't finish the race once I got to the 2nd half. Usually, the last 4-5 miles is where I start thinking I can't finish. But I was feeling good. Odd! I think the strengh training may have played a part in this. Mile splits for the race are below:

1. 14:13 - seeing some usual things. Like a couple of people running with their gear bags. A bottle of water rolling down a hill (running a half marathon carrying a bottle of ozarka?)


2. 14:39 - I'm thinking perhaps this was the first hill? The hill that I didn't know about, by the way...I ran up it, how ever slowly while everyone was walking. Was pretty proud of that!


3. 14:34 - Just running and chatting


4. 14:18 - Just running and chatting.


5. 14:32 - I remember thinking "Beautiful neighborhoods" somewhere in this area


6. 14:42 - I started struggling a bit. The 3-1's were getting harder. This is the farthest I've been lately in training runs since Aramco (part of why I didn't expect anything near a PR). I was thinking I wasn't going to make it 13 miles......


7. 14:50 - Still thinking I'm really not going to be able to finish this race. Dang, I should have made myself get in a few more long runs since Aramco! A little bit of nausea. Maybe I took my 2nd set of endurolytes here.


8. 14:37 - I think around here I have switched to 2-1's instead of 3-1's. It made a HUGE difference.


9. 13:50 - I'm feeling good. Every time the run interval beeps, I cheerfully say "let's go!" to Karen. I'm shocking my self.


10. 13:26 - Must have really been feeling good. This was with walking breaks!


11. 13:41 - Karen tells me we are on pace for a PR for me. I'm too scared to believe it.


12. 13:44 Wow, at mile 12. Karen says we are almost there - see the Ferris Wheel? I say the Ferris Wheel looks pretty far away to me!!!!


13. 14:09 - We were really picking up the run pace - running in the 12's. So I went a little slower on the walk recovery. Started freaking out because I could see I was back in the 14's for the mile average and I was worried I was going to blow it at the end and not have a PR. Since I didn't even set out to PR in this race - only finish - I just can't believe it can happen.....I always blow it the last few miles of the race.

.1 - I don't know. I stopped my Garmin when I crossed the finish line, but I accidently started it back up later and it added on to what I already had.

Actually, I'm just now looking at the elevation chart for the first time - got a copy for this blog, and it explains some things. Like why mile 6 and 7 were extremely hard and why I slowed down so much! And it explains why it started getting easier at mile 8 when I crested the hill. I'm glad I didn't see this elevation chart prior to doing the race!

NEXT GOAL: SUB 3 on November 13th, 2011

San Antonio Rock and Roll!